Season 8
by u2fan2005
Summary: After the close of the Hellmouth in Sunnydale all the Scoobies are all over the world. Faith and Robin are in Cleveland. Dawn, Giles, and Willow are in England. And Buffy is dealing with finding her place after Spike's death and not being the only Slayer


**Buffy episode: 8x01: No Longer Children**

_Disclaimer: I do not own any of the characters on Buffy the Vampire Slayer. They belong to Fox Studios and Joss Whedon. This work is fictional and is only for my and others entertainment._

**Review: **

_Giles voiceover: Previously on Buffy the Vampire Slayer…_

_Cut to Buffy talking with vampire, Holden in 'Conversations with Dead People'_

Buffy: I feel like I'm worse than anyone. Honestly, I'm beneath them. My friends, my boyfriends. I feel like I'm not worthy of their love. 'Cause even though they love me, it doesn't mean anything 'cause their opinions don't matter. They don't know. They haven't been through what I've been through. They're not the slayer.

_Cut to Faith and Buffy talking in Buffy's bedroom in 'End of Days'_

Faith:. I'm looking at you, everything you have and, I don't know? Jealous. Then there I am, everybody's looking to me, trusting me to lead them and I've never felt so alone in my entire life.

Buffy: Yeah.

Faith: And that's you, every day. Isn't it?

Buffy: I love my friends. I'm very grateful for them. But that's the price of being a Slayer.

_Cut to Wood and Giles speaking in the basement in 'Lies My Parents Told Me'_

Principle Wood: Buffy would listen to her Watcher, wouldn't she?

Giles: I don't think you have much of an idea of the Watcher-Slayer dynamic.

_Show Buffy talking to Giles while shutting the door on him._

Buffy: I think you've taught me everything I need to know.

_Cut to Willow and Kennedy at Buffy's house in 'Get it Done'._

Willow: Yeah, since then. Look, it's important that you know what I am, what I'm like when I'm like that.

Kennedy: I thought it would be... I don't know? Cool somehow. It just hurt.

_Show Buffy and Angel talking in 'Chosen'._

Buffy: (To Angel) What are you doing here?

_Show a shot of Angel giving Buffy the amulet._

Angel: It bestows strength to the right person who wears it.

Buffy: And the right person is?

Angel: Someone ensouled but more than human. A champion.

_Show Buffy and Spike in the basement. Buffy gives Spike the amulet._

Spike: Been call a lot of things in my time…

_Cut to a shot of Buffy and Spike on the cot in the basement. Spike is sleeping but Buffy isn't, she seems to be in deep in thought as she strokes his hand._

_Cut to Faith and Wood talking._

Robin: Faith, make me a deal, all right? We live through this, you give me the chance to surprise you.

Faith: Fine. Deal.

_Cut to Willow and Kennedy talking._

Kennedy: … you're going to make it through this no matter how dark it gets. Because now, you're my way.

_Show Kennedy and Willow kissing._

_Cut to Buffy talking to her friends and the potential slayers._

Buffy: Tomorrow morning I'm opening the Seal. I'm going down into the Hellmouth and I'm finishing this once and for all. In every generation one Slayer is born because a bunch of men who died thousands of years ago made up that rule. They were powerful men.

_Buffy points to Willow who looks smiles nervously._

Buffy:This woman is more powerful than all of them combined. So I say we change the rule. I say my power should be our power.

_Show Willow doing the spell with the scythe._

Willow: Oh…my…goddess!

_Show all the potential slayers receiving there power and fighting in the Hellmouth. Show Giles and Wood fighting together. Show Dawn and Xander fighting together._

_Show Anya getting killed._

_Cut to Xander._

Xander: Anya! Anya!

_Cut to Anya lying died but Xander can't see her._

_Show Spike tumble backwards against the wall of the Hellmouth._

Spike: Oh bollocks…

_Lights shoot out from Spike and he fries all the ubervamps._

_Buffy rushes to his side._

Spike: Go on, then.

Buffy: No! No you've done enough! You can still---

Spike: No, you've beat them back. It's for me to do the cleanup.

Faith: Buffy come on!

Spike: Got to move lamb. I think it's fair to say, schools out for bloody summer.

Buffy: Spike!

Spike: I mean it! I gotta do this!

_Buffy reaches out for his hand, their fingers are laced, and a fame starts to burn between there hand contact._

Buffy: I love you.

Spike: No, you don't…but thanks for saying it. Now go!

_Buffy runs off and Spike burns up in the Hellmouth._

_Buffy runs across the top of buildings and makes a leap onto the moving bus and holds on. She watches while the bus drives away that Sunnydale is being destroyed. She jumps off the bus and looks at the long road._

Giles: What did this?

Buffy: (Sadly) Spike…

_Show Principal Wood and Faith in the bus._

_  
_Wood: Did we make?

Faith: We made it. We won.

_Wood stops breathing and Faith thinks he looks dead, but then he gasps and coughs._

Wood: Surprise.__

Faith smiles at him.

_Show the gang outside the bus looking at the crater that was once Sunnydale._

Faith: Looks like the Hellmouth is officially closed for business.

Giles: There's another one in Cleveland. Not to spoil the moment.

Xander: We saved the world.

Willow: We changed the world. I can feel them, Buffy. All over. Slayers are awakening everywhere.

Dawn: We'll have to find them.

Willow: We will.

Willow: Yeah, The First is scrunched so… what do you think we should do, Buffy?

Faith Yeah, you're not the one and only Chosen anymore. Just gotta live like a person. How's that feel?

Dawn: Yeah, Buffy. What are we going to do now?

**End of Review**

**Prologue:**

Title Card: _New York_

_It's the middle of the night. The rain is coming down in buckets. A strike of lighting lights up the sky and a few moments later the sound of thunder follows._

_In the streets of NYC there were very few people out. Homeless people could be seen crouching under building entrances. _

_A woman with a rain coat carrying something cradled in her arms runs down the sidewalk and into an alley. Behind her two figures are chasing the woman. Once the woman was in the alley she saw that she had reached a dead end. She looked around her surroundings quickly and sees a fire escape ladder on the side of the building. She looks behind her, at the entrance of the alley, and sees the two figures that were chasing after her had just entered the alley. The woman runs over to the ladder and starts to climb. One of the figures reaches up and grabs the lady's foot, but she quickly shakes herself free and continues to climb.  
Once the lady has gotten to the top of the building she runs across roof tops. Behind her the figures also have reached the top of the ladder and are starting to follow her at a brisk pace._

_The woman comes to the point where she could no longer run, unless she jumps off the roof. She looks down and sees she is two stories up. She looks like she was about to take the chance and jump._

_The figures come up to her from behind and trap her._

_  
_Figure 1: No where left to hide.

_The lady turns around and faces the figures. Her two chasers are men dressed in very nice looking business suits (Like the Matrix). The woman glances down at the object she is carrying and looks at a sleeping baby in some blankets.  
The lady is soaking wet from the rain beating down on her clothes and hair. She makes a decision, so she hugs the baby close to her body and takes a step backwards and falls off the building with the baby._

Title Card: _Westbury, England_

_There is a house in the English Countryside set in the hills, and the raining is falling down gently._

_Inside the house, in a bedroom, there are many boxes around. Footsteps are heard in the hallway and Dawn appears in the room carrying a box, she sets the box down on the bed and sighs. She takes in the silence of the room and goes over to the window and looks out over the English countryside._

Giles: (Off screen) You get all the boxes?

_Dawn turns around and sees Giles standing by the doorframe drinking a cup of tea._

Dawn: Pretty much…man, I thought buying new clothes and things would be my dream come true, but now it's just…inconvenient. (Mumbles to herself) Me not want to shop? Maybe I'm sick.

_Giles walks in the room and stands by the window near Dawn._

Giles: (Looking out the window) It's hard to believe…

Dawn: (Looks confused) What is?

Giles: (Looks at Dawn) All of this… (Looks back out the window) me being here again, you being here…

Dawn: And Sunnydale being no more?

_Giles looks back at Dawn and then walks away and goes out the door. Dawn follows Giles. They both go down the stairs and into the living room._

Dawn: Am I enrolled at the school that I think is as old as dirt?

Giles: You know I went to that school when I was your age.

Dawn: My point exactly...old as dirt.

_Giles gives Dawn a look._

Giles: You start school next week. We should get you supplies, notebooks…pencils… (Turns to her) you still carry a lunchbox?

(Dawn gives him a mortified look.)

Giles: Forget I asked.

Dawn: So… I'm imagining this school doesn't have a Hellmouth under it?

Giles: No Hellmouth here.

Dawn: Too bad…I was starting to get use to all the evilness that was under the school…I guess I'll have to settle for the evilness that **is** school.

Giles: (Picking up the mail and starts reading through it) Guess so…

_Dawn stands there, watching Giles go through his mail. _

Dawn: (Sounding hopeful) Any mail for me?

_Giles looks up._

Giles: Umm… no…

Dawn: (Pauses) Well then…guess I better go upstairs and unpack.

_Dawn turns around and travels up the stairs. Giles follows her._

_  
_Giles: Dawn…

_Dawn stops halfway up the stairs and turns to look at Giles._

Giles: She will call…it's just—

Dawn: (Understanding) I know…besides…she needs the vacation. Buffy has some issues she needs to work out and…well…she'll come here when she's ready.

_Cut to: _

Title Card: _Cleveland_

_It's night time and there is clattering going inside an alley; the sound of fighting. There is a close shot of a vampire in game face, his fangs showing. There is a shot of the point of view of a girl holding a stake. The vampire charges and starts to fight the girl. The fight carries on and the girl stakes the vampire. She dusts herself off, puts her stake in her coat pocket, and then stops as she senses something. The girl waits for a moment to listen and then walks out of the alley into the streets of Cleveland. There is a moment pause and then out of the shadows walks Buffy with her hands in her coat pockets. Buffy looks out of the alley where the slayer girl exited and then sighs._

Wolf Howls.

**Opening Credits**

**Starring:**

Sarah Michelle Gellar as Buffy Summers

**Michelle Trachtenberg as Dawn Summers**

**Alyson Hannigan as Willow Rosenburg**

**Anthony Stewart Head as Rupert Giles**

**Nicholas Brendan as Xander Harris**

And **Tom Lenk as Andrew Wells**

**Special Guest Stars: **

Eliza Dushku as Faith

**Iyari Limon as Kennedy **

**DB Woodside as Robin Wood**

**ACT I**

Cut to inside a house:

_Buffy walks through the front door and hangs up her coat. She looks tired._

Faith VO: B?

Buffy: (Pauses) Yeah…it's me.

_Buffy walks down a hallway and into a kitchen and sees Faith sitting on a counter top drinking some water and Robin standing close to her. Buffy seems a little out of place from catching them so close. Faith turns to Buffy and smiles._

Faith: Hey...how was patrol?

Buffy: Not bad…I didn't do anything…

Faith: Bump into another new Slayer huh?

Buffy: Yeah…I think it was that girl, Julie, we confronted a few weeks ago; guess she is taking the responsibility now.

Faith: Guess so…

Buffy: Man, they're everywhere now. Before, finding a Slayer was like coming across the needle in the hay stack… (Sighs) but now…seems that all the hay is missing and all that's left is a bunch of needles…

Faith: (Laughs) Good analogy.

Robin: And I'm guessing the needles are jamming into your side and you're feeling pretty…crampy?

Buffy: I guess… I mean I should be happy there are hundreds of Slayers all over the world. (Sighs) I really don't know what my problem is.

_Faith and Robin exchange a look. There is a moment of silence._

Faith: So uh…you talk to your little sis lately?

Buffy: (Looks down at her feet) Uh…no. Even though it's horrible to say…I've been kind of avoiding having a conversation with the Dawn and the gang lately. I just know that Dawn is going to ask when I'm going to England and I can't really give her an answer.

Robin: (Nods) Yeah…and why aren't you going again?

_Buffy looks up at Faith and Robin to see they are both looking at her for the answer._

Buffy: Because… (She pauses to think of reason) I'm… just… not… ready.

_Buffy looks back at Faith and Robin and sees that they really don't buy her reason._

_Shot of Buffy walking up the staircase and walking down the hallway and into a room. In the room there is a dresser, a mirror, and a bed. Connected to the bedroom is a bathroom. Buffy walks through the room and into the bathroom and turns on the light. She squints her eyes from the sudden light. _

_  
In the reflection of the mirror you can see Buffy take down her ponytail and let her hair wave free. However, she doesn't look at herself in the mirror._

Shot of the Buffy's hand turning on the faucet. She cups her hands together and splashes the water on her face a couple of times. She turns around and grabs a towel.

In the reflection of the mirror you can see Buffy wiping her face with the towel. Then she set the towel down and looks at herself in the mirror. She stares at her reflection. Her face is pale. She runs her hands through her hair for a moment while looking at herself and then she stops and stares at herself again without blinking. When she finally stops staring she reaches out and opens the mirror door to reveal that behind the mirror is a medicine cabinet. Buffy grabs a bottle of pills. On the side of the bottle it said 'Stilnoct' (A type of sleeping pill) on the side. She opens the bottle and pours herself a glass of water and takes a pill. She puts the bottle back in the medicine cabinet and turns off the light and walks over to her bed.

Buffy sits down on the side of her bed for a moment, staring in front of her. Then she lays her head down, and she lies on her side, still wide awake. 

_Overhead shot of the room. Shows Buffy sitting near the edge of the bed and it makes the bed seem so big and her seem so small._

**Cut back to England:  
**

_Giles's front door opens to reveal Willow, Andrew, and Xander walking through, they seem like they are familiar with the place and are regular guests. _

Xander: (To Andrew) Will you just shut up?

Andrew: Not until you take back that _Goldfinge_r was better than _Licence to Kill_!

Xander: (Whispering to Willow) A little help here?

Willow: No thanks…your roommate, your problem. (Walks down the hallway) Giles?

Xander: (Calling out) This roommate thing was suppose to be temporary though!

_Xander looks back at Andrew who has his arms crossed. There is silence between them._

Andrew: That hurt…

_Cut to Willow and Giles standing by the doorway of the opening of the backyard. _

Willow: …she still hasn't called?

Giles: (While looking out into the countryside) No…

Willow: Sort of like déjà vu of when she left to LA after she killed Angel huh?

Giles: Sort of, but this time we know where she is…

Willow: Wait…what? I thought you had no idea where Buffy is.

_Andrew and Xander come into view behind them._

Xander: You know where Buffy is?

Giles: (Sighs) Yes…she is in Cleveland.

Andrew: The other Hellmouth? Wow…she must really like evil places to live.

_Xander, Willow, and Giles give Andrew a look._

Andrew: You know I'm going to see what Dawn's up to…

_Andrew leaves._

Willow: So how long have you known?

Giles: Faith called me…seems Buffy is staying with her and Robin…

Xander: (Softly) How's she doing? Is she…

Giles: Faith thinks there is something distracting Buffy…something that even Buffy herself doesn't know is bothering her.

Willow: Maybe we should go, you know… help her.

Giles: (Pauses and looks at Willow and Xander) I think this is something she needs to take care of herself…that's why she went away.

Willow: Do you have an idea what's bothering her?

Giles: (Looks back at the countryside) …I have a pretty good idea. (Takes a sip out of his coffee cup)

**Cut back to Cleveland**

_Shot overhead of a big cemetery. Faith and Buffy are walking side by side holding their stakes in hand. They have jackets on to keep them warm from the fall weather starting set in._

Faith: Seems like a million years since you and I been out here together…just the two of us.

Buffy: (Smiles a little) Yeah…

Faith: Seems this new Hellmouth has way too many good distractions for me.

Buffy: What do you mean?

Faith: Well Sunnydale was a crumby old town and was dull. You couldn't really go out and have fun that much.

Buffy: Yeah but that was _my_ crumby dull town.

Faith: Yeah…_yours_…I guess you can say this is mine. Right?

_Buffy stops and turns and faces Faith._

Buffy: Are you trying to tell me something?

Faith: No, no….

Buffy: Yeah you are…

Faith: (Shrugs) Well sort of.

Buffy: Well out with it…

Faith: Well… (Sighs) is something the matter?

_Buffy stares at Faith emotionless._

Buffy: I'm fine…I thought you were the one that had something the matter. I just want to patrol.

_Buffy looks around the graveyard and then turns back to Faith._

Faith: Yeah I know, but I think there is something more that you aren't addressing Buffy…look, I know you and I aren't best of friends, probably will never be but you can tell me the reason why you are so…

Buffy: So what…?

Faith: So….distant.

Buffy: I am _not_ distant.

_Faith gives her one of those looks that says 'Come on you know you are'._

Faith: Buffy you are the most distant girl I know. You even said it yourself before, 'the whole being alone thing'.

_Buffy looks around the cemetery, sort of avoiding what Faith has to say._

Faith: You know you are welcome to stay with me and Robin for as long as you like but you have to be honest with us.

Buffy: Honest? (Laughs) Look who's talking.

Faith: I know, I know. I guess I'm not the right person to be giving you this speech but hey, (Shrugs) I'm trying this whole new 'be responsible girl' thing.

Buffy: I wish you luck on that.

Faith: Thanks… (Laughs) Because I think I'm going to need it. (Rubs the back of her neck)

Buffy: If you want me out of "your" town, well you don't have to tell me twice…I'll go back to the house and pack…

_Buffy starts to walk off but Faith grabs her arm and stops her._

Faith: I didn't mean it like that and you know it B.

Buffy: Its fine Faith…I'll just be on my way.

Faith: And go where? Huh?

_Buffy lets out a sigh. Faith lets go of Buffy's arm._

Faith: You certainly made it clear the other day that you didn't want to see your friends and sister.

Buffy: I'll go somewhere else then.

Faith: Leave without telling anyone where you are going? That's smart.

Buffy: (Harshly) I did it once before.

_Buffy walks away from Faith. This time Faith doesn't go after her, she just watches her sister Slayer walk off._

Faith: (To herself) So much for getting along.

_Some sort of techno/alternative rock music starts to fade in._

_Shot of Buffy leaving the cemetery and throwing her stake in the grass. _

_Cut to Faith watching her leave, and then she turns around and walks away in another direction._

Singer (V/O):

Everytime you come around  
There's a bouquet for me  
A corsage of promises  
And I am pinned  
Like a butterfly on a card  
I'm naked and I'm scarred  
And you're so perfect to me

_Cut over the downtown area of Cleveland at night time. Many people are walking around the sidewalks and crossing the busy streets. You can see Buffy walking by herself. _

_Cut inside a club, there are walk to walk people dancing around to the band playing on the stage. Buffy walks into the club from the entrance and looks up at the singer on the stage singing._

Violent ties with hands like a steeple  
Tell me lies with a tongue like a needle  
I let the words shot down my throat  
A face like an iron fist  
That I can never resist  
I learn it all by rote

_Then Buffy travels through the crowd and goes up a staircase that leads to the second level of the club were there are tables and a little bar. She travels over to corner of the balcony and looks into the crowd, as if searching for someone. _

Words of wisdom from your tyrant mouth  
Words of wisdom from your tyrant mouth

Lewis: (From behind Buffy) How's it going?

_Buffy doesn't turn around to look at him. She seems familiar with his presence. Lewis has dark brown hair that a little bit long and curly, he comes and stands beside Buffy, leaning his hands on the balcony railing. Buffy doesn't turn to look at him, she just keeps staring down into the crowd._

Lewis: Haven't seen you in a while.

Buffy: Been busy.

Lewis: Thought I scared you off…from last time.

Buffy: Nothing scares me.

I'm stuck just like a pig  
Roasting in your eyes  
I'll believe anything that you want  
You gotta teach me how to live  
Cause you make me wanna die  
You took it all, now you're all I've got

Lewis: Oh come on. Everyone has their fears…what makes you so special?

Buffy: What are you doing here? (She turns and looks at him) Shouldn't you be at one of your little…things? (Turns and looks back at the crowd)

Lewis: Was about to go…want to come?

Buffy: I'm not into that.

Lewis: But your into taking sleeping pills and—

Buffy: I have a condition, not that that's any of your business.

Words of wisdom from your tyrant mouth  
Words of wisdom from your tyrant mouth

Lewis: (Rolls his eyes) Listen luv—

_Buffy snaps her head to look at him, instantly. Him calling her 'luv' seems to spark something._

Buffy: Don't _ever_ call me that.

There's noises in my head  
Just noises in my head  
If I could I'd drown them all out  
I'd bury all of these noises  
From your tyrant mouth

_They stare at one another, Buffy glaring at him and Lewis sort of searching something in her eyes. He's the first to turn away and looks out into the dancing crowd._

Lewis: Not going to force you to come if you don't want to…just got to ask you this…

_Buffy lets out a sigh and turns to look away but still is listen to him._

Lewis: …why'd you come here, of all of Cleveland, if you wanted to avoid the chance of running into me? I think you want to come…but you're afraid. Afraid of the darkness.

You're just a noise in my head  
You're just a noise in my head  
I'll drown you out  
And I'll bury all the noises  
From your hateful little mouth

Buffy: I've tasted darkness before…not too afraid of it.

Lewis: Hmm…so you tasted it…and yet you seek more.

Buffy: I'm leaving…

Words of wisdom from your tyrant mouth  
Words of wisdom

_Buffy starts to turn and go towards the stairs but he grabs her arm and holds her in place. _

Lewis: You got issues, I get it. I'm just saying… (Holds up a small piece of paper in his one hand and slips it into Buffy's front pocket) …if you ever want to loose yourself.

Words of wisdom  
Words of wisdom from your tyrant mouth  
Yeah...

_Buffy shoves him away from her, since his hand was still resting on her leg after he slipped her the piece of paper. She glares at him and disappears down the balcony stares and out of his site._

**Act II**

**Cut Back to England…**

**Outside…**

_Willow and Dawn are walking down a quiet pathway near a farm. Willow is holding a umbrella since its drizzling a little bit._

Dawn: So you really want to start up this school, huh?

Willow: Well I haven't worked out all the details…still need to talk with a few people, old Wicca friends of mine…and Buffy…but yeah, I think it would be a good project that would help these new risen Slayer's understand their gift better.

Dawn: And were is this school going to be located, cause I got to tell ya if you say in Giles new house I'm voting against the idea, since I live there now.

Willow: Noooo…defiantly not. I was thinking of renting an old building…one that can have plenty of room for housing some Slayers and training them.

Dawn: Housing them? This going to turn into Hogwarts or something?

Willow: Possibly…I can be Professor Minerva McGonagall (smiles to herself)

Dawn: (Laughs) Yeah and Giles can be Dursley.

Willow: Nah…he'll never agree to be someone that looks so old.

Dawn: We'll we all know who Andrew will be…

Willow/Dawn: Dobby (they both laugh and continue walking into town)

**Giles's House**

_Giles is sitting in his living room sorting through his books, which are lying all over the floor when Xander followed by Andrew walk in._

Andrew: It's not my fault…

Giles: What's happened now?

Xander: He nearly killed me when I was helping set up Dawn's bookcase.

Giles: (Ponders for a moment) How can that be? It's like three feet tall.

Xander: (While glaring at Andrew) You'd be surprise. (Then slaps Andrew on the back of the head)

Andrew: Owww…

_Xander walks over around the books that are scattered about the room and sits on a couch and picks up a book and looks through it._

Xander: So what are we researching now?

Giles: Nothing…just organizing…

Xander: Got a fine collection here even though the Council documents were blown up and some of the books in Magic Box were destroyed.

Andrew: Don't you mean sucked up by Dark Willow?

_Xander and Giles turn and glare at him._

Andrew: Right, I'll be in the other room watching BBC. (Leaves)

Xander: (While glancing through the inside of the books) Is this really a slayer's journal?

_Giles looks up at Xander is reading and nods._

_  
_Giles: Oh yes…many slayers have keep a log of their experiences and conquests so future Slayers can learn from them…but however, as Buffy discovered in the past some of them don't go into as much detail about what happens at the end…when the Slayer dies.

Xander: Has Buffy ever kept a diary?

Giles: (Sighs) She was suppose to….but she just didn't keep up with it. (Continues to look through books)

Xander: Speaking of our Heart of the Slayer…why don't you tell us what's up? You said you knew what you think is wrong…care to elaborate?

Giles: I'm not sharing…Buffy has the right to her own privacy.

Xander: It's Spike isn't it?

_Giles lets out a deep breath but doesn't look up at Xander._

Xander: I'm not blind…even though I have just one eye…

Giles: She's grieving yes…and you really can't blame her to coming to you, me, or Willow can you?

Xander: Because we didn't lose someone we love? Hello! Don't forget I lost the woman I love too…

Giles: This is different—

Xander: How so? Anya was just—

Giles: Xander, her life with Spike was very much a secret from the start and until the end. They never really technically dated and they never were really open about it with the rest of us. Besides she always knew that we weren't fond of him so…do you blame her for not sharing her feelings with us?

_Xander looks down at the ground with a frown and sort of ashamed._

Xander: You're right.

Giles: Buffy just needs time and space…and in the end she'll be ready to move on.

**Cut to Cleveland**

**Faith and Robin's**

_Robin is sitting in bed alone, flipping through the channels on the television when he hears the front door open. After a few minutes Faith enters through the bedroom door._

Robin: Well?

_Faith shakes her head and takes off her jacket._

Faith: She's not talking. Well…not to me anyway.

Robin: Want me to…?

Faith: Nah…I don't think either of us can get though to her…just got to let her stir her own path for now. All we can do is give her advice and hope it helps.

_Faith disappears into the bathroom and shuts the door._

Robin: (Yells loud enough for her to hear) She come home with you?

Faith V/O: No…she kind of got pissed at me and left in the middle of patrol.

_Robin shakes his head and turns his eyes back to the television. Faith emerges where a black tank top and comfy pajama bottoms. She crawls into bed and sits there with Robin watching whatever show he's watching. After a moment Faith bursts out laughing. Robin turns to her with a confused look since nothing on the television happened that was really funny._

Robin: Something amusing?

Faith: Yeah! Us!

Robin: Come again?

Faith: Well we're sitting here in bed like an old married couple watching late night TV…seems a bit hilarious from where I'm sitting.

Robin: Yeah…true…what we're doing is very conservative…thought you wanted to settle down and be calm.

Faith: Yeah well I didn't want to give into the whole Beaver Cleaver thing completely…I still want to be five by five…well now its turning into two by five.

Robin: I get it, I get it. (Laughs and sits up and leans forward and kisses her and when he breaks away he smiles) How's that?

Faith: You moved from a two by five to a three…

Robin: Well I'm shooting for a five so I think I better keep going.

_Leans in and continues to kiss her hard._

**Cut to the next Morning**

_Faith comes walking down the hallway in her pajamas with a cup of coffee. She glances in her and Robin's room and sees that he isn't there and the bed is unmade. She hears running water and coming from the end of the hallway, she walks over to the hallway bathroom and leans her head closer to hear. _

Faith: Buffy? That you?

Robin V/O: It's me.

_Faith walks down the hallway and knocks on Buffy's bedroom door. She gets no answer._

Faith: Yo B?

_She opens the bedroom door and fines that Buffy isn't there and the bed sheets look like they haven't been touched. Faith frowns and looks worried. A door slams close somewhere in the house. Faith turns her head to the sound and follows._

Faith: Buffy?

_Faith walks down her staircase and goes into the kitchen to find Buffy's head poking inside the refrigerator._

Faith: Hey.

_Buffy turns around and shuts the refrigerator after she pulled out a water bottle. She faces Faith, she looks very tired and out of it._

Faith: Where have you been? Did you come in at all last night?

Buffy: (Rolls her eyes and mutters) What are you my mother?

_Faith watches Buffy take a big gulp out of her drink and sit down on a stool at the kitchen island. _

Faith: So…you go to a party or something?

Buffy: Guess you can say that.

Faith: You have new friends now?

Buffy: What's with the twenty questions?

Faith: Just…this isn't like you.

Buffy: I'm twenty three I can stay out all night if I want to, F…

_Faith raised an eyebrow at Buffy using her own lingo._

Faith: When did you start acting like the old bad Faith now?

Buffy: When did you start acting like the old good Buffy?

_Buffy sits up off the stool and walks away from Faith toward the stairs._

Faith: Old? So what? You and I are switching places again?

Buffy: (Not turning around, continue up the stairs) Just leave me alone.

_Robin passes Buffy on his way down the stairs._

_  
_Robin: Morning Buffy.

Buffy: (mumbles) Night.

Robin: Okay ummm…night.

_He looks very confused when he turns to Faith._

Robin: What's up with her?

Faith: She didn't come in at all last night.

Robin: (Frowns) What?

Faith: Yeah, I know! This is not Buffy—whatever she is going through its getting way too out control.

Robin: Should we call Giles? Willow?

Faith: I don't know. I don't want to worry them.

Robin: She's their friend.

Faith: And so am I! Well…at least I would like to be…someday…maybe…look; for once I want to take charge of the situation. Buffy had to deal with a million problems all at once, let alone her own, and I think for once someone should be there for her.

Robin: I just don't know if she'll listen to you. She didn't last night.

Faith: Well last night I was just being all nice and everything. This time I'm nipping it in the butt.

Robin: (Nods) And we all know you're capable of that.

_Faith slaps his chest._

**Act III**

**Later….nighttime**

_Robin and Faith are sitting in the living room watching television in the dark. Buffy walks by in the hallway. Faith spots her, noticing she's going through the front door._

Faith: You going out?

Buffy: Patrolling.

_You hear the door slam shut after that. Faith gets up from her spot on the couch and puts on her shoes._

Robin: So, you're just going to follow her?

Faith: You got a better idea? She won't notice I'm there, I can be sneaky.

Robin: Want me to come too?

Faith: No, if we both come we have a better chance of being spotted. I'll call ya if I need ya.

_Ties her last shoe lace, grabs her jacket and leaves the house._

**Dance Club**

_Buffy walks into the same dance club she was in the other night. She walks toward the bar and orders a drink. At the entrance, Faith enters, and looks around. She seems to have lost Buffy's site in the large Friday night crowd._

Sometimes I feel that I'm misunderstood,

The river's running deep right through my blood.

Your naked body's lying on the ground,

You always get me up when I'm down.

And it always seems we're running out of time.

We're out of control,

out of control,

out of control.

_After Buffy gets her drink, a shot of vodka, she gulps it down and asks the bartender a question. The bartender motions to a dark little hallway across the dance floor. Buffy moves in between the dancers and starts to go in the direction the man directed her. Faith stops Buffy when flashing lights hits he a one moment. Faith follows her._

It may be that I'm just scared of losing you,

Or maybe it's the things you make me do.

It seems to me we both should hang around,

And raise the population of this town.

And it always seems we're running out of time.

We're out of control,

Out of control,

Out of control.

Out of control.

But it doesn't mean we're too far down the line.

We're out of control,

Out of control,

We're out of control.

Out of control.

_Buffy approaches in a private room, away from all the dancers. She is greeted by someone guarding the entrance. The man shakes his head at Buffy, seeming like she can't enter. However, Lewis appears from the back room and talks to guard and lets Buffy pass. Faith is watching the whole scene from end of the hallway in the shadows._

The record player keeps on turning round,

It could be stuck, or maybe it's a sound

All this time I should be there with you,

but maybe I'm just searching for a clue,

or maybe I'm just searching for the truth.

And it always seems we're running out of time.

We're out of control,

_Lewis offers Buffy a seat at a small table. But Buffy declines. Faith watches Lewis with interest, noticing that he seems to be attracted to Buffy. A few of Lewis's gang talk with Buffy as the smoke. Faith can't really make out what the conservation is about, it seems really casual. _

Out of control

Out of control

Out of control

_Lewis pulls out a thick layer of cash from his jacket pocket and places it on the table. One of the men picks it up and counts it. The man, who has the money, who seems to be the leader of the gang, rubs his fingers together—sort of indicating more money. Lewis talks with him, acting a little sorry, as if he doesn't have any more to offer._

Out of control

Out of control

_The leader throws the thick layer of cash that's wrapped in a rubber band back at Lewis. The group gets up and leaves the club through a back door._

Buffy: I thought you said you had the money?

Lewis: His offers change everyday…yesterday it was lower.

Buffy: Do you have anymore money?

Lewis: (Glaring at her) (Sarcastically) Do I look like an ATM?_  
_  
_Buffy senses as if she is being watched. She moves closer to the hallway she entered and peeks out._

It could be that I'm losing my touch,

or maybe you think my moushtache is too much.

Satellite is out of control,

But you and I are brothers of the soul

And you and I will come in from the cold.

Out of control.

Out of control.

We're out of control,

Out of Control,

We're out of control.

Out of control.

Out of control,

_Faith, noticing Buffy coming closer, slips away quickly._

Lewis: What's up?

Buffy: (After checking the hallway) Nothing.

_Shakes off the feeling and talks with Lewis again._

Lewis: What about you? This is your idea. If you want to do this so badly, why don't you get the cash?

out of control

Buffy: Can't…I don't really have any money.

Lewis: Yeah. Noticed… (Looks at her up and down) Do you wear the same thing again and again or something?

Buffy: (Ignoring him) I can't barrow from my friends…don't want them involved.

Lewis: Ashamed of your new lifestyle?

out of control

_Buffy shoves Lewis up against the wall. _

Buffy: After this little deal I don't ever want to see you again. Get it?

Lewis: (Smirking) Got it Slayer.

_Buffy takes a steps back and punches him and goes out the back door, the same one the gang left from previously. The punch lands Lewis on the ground._

Lewis: (Mumbling) Good left hook.

Out of control

_He wipes the blood that comes from his mouth when she punches him and stands back up._

Faith V/O: Hey!

_Lewis turns around and sees Faith approaching him, cautiously. She seems to be checking to make sure Buffy isn't around. Lewis smiles at Faith and looks her up and down, liking what he sees._

Lewis: Hey baby.

Faith: Save if bub not interested.

Lewis: Then what are you interested in?

Faith: What were you talking with my friend about?

_Lewis looks back at the door that Buffy walked out of and back at Faith._

Lewis: She your friend?

Faith: Well…yeah…are you too?

Lewis: It's mutually business between us…however I really hope she'd just give in to me someday soon.

Faith: (Threatening) Leave her alone or I'll jam your nuts up your ass you hear?

Lewis: Loyal friend you are. Probably trusting too…

Faith: What are you getting at?

Lewis: You trust her…but she doesn't trust you.

Faith: Just tell me what I want. What's going on between you two? Buffy has been acting not like herself lately and I have feeling you're the problem.

Lewis: (Touches his heart) Me?

Faith: (Rolls her eyes) Is there one else standing here?

Lewis: I may have been affecting her a bit…but got to tell you I didn't make her go off the deep end. I meet her on the edge of it.

Faith: (Anger) And you what? Gave her that last push?!

Lewis: Don't hurt the innocent. I didn't push her…she jumped.

_Faith takes in everything she is being told. She looks back up at Lewis and lets out her frustration in a punch. Lewis stumbles to the ground. He stays down on the ground as Faith hovers above him._

Faith: What was going on in here earlier?

Lewis: That was actually not too bad. Buffy just wanted to shut down a little vamp nest by paying Toni…the boss who was hear earlier…since these vamps do business for them. That was a completely different matter. 

Faith: Where was she last night?

Lewis: Ahh…now you're getting warmer…

Faith: Where is she?

Lewis: Same place she was last night.

Faith: And that would be.

Lewis: 593 Willard Street…but they won't let you in.

Faith: And you?

Lewis: Yeah they'll let me in.

Faith: Then you're coming with me.

**Streets of Cleveland: **

_Faith and Lewis exit the club together and walk down the street._

Lewis: You know, you are pretty strong too…you a Slayer too?

Faith: Yeah.

Lewis: (Smirks) Really?

Faith: (Glaring at his smirking face) Want me to punch you again?

Lewis: No, that's alright baby…I only need one from you.

Faith: You call me baby again you'll being getting one free in the groin area, you hear me?

Lewis: Loud and clear Slayer Number 2.

_Faith and Lewis turn down a street and come in front what looks to be an abandoned townhouse, they both see smoke coming from the inside. They notice a fire in one of the windows._

_  
_Faith: (Frightened) Please tell me this isn't the building Buffy's in.

Lewis: (Amazed) Hate to say it.

_Faith starts to run up into the building but Lewis grabs her arm._

Lewis: Don't!

_Then all of sudden people come rushing out of the building, escaping the smoke. Faith looks around and doesn't see Buffy._

Lewis: (Grabbing a person) Was the Slayer here?

_A man shakes his head, while coughing._

Lewis: (To Faith) She must not have come…

Faith: How sure are you?

Lewis: Not 100 but they keep tally of everyone in there…and they know Buffy.

Faith: What is this place?

_In the distance you can hear fire truck sirens. All the residents that were in the building start to run away at the sound. Lewis grabs Faith's arm and starts to run too. _

Faith: Tell me what that place was?

Lewis: What do you think?

_Faith and Lewis turn into an alley and stop running. Lewis leans on the alley wall, catching his breath._

Faith: Buffy isn't into drugs…

Lewis: No…but last night she was there…with me…

Faith: How do I know you're not lying to me?

Lewis: I have no reason to lie.

Faith: Was she using?

Lewis: The first time I brought her she didn't…

Faith: And last night?

Lewis: Sorry…

_Faith turns and leaves Lewis in the alley._

**Faith and Robin's House:**

_Faith walks through the front door and shuts it quietly. Robin comes to greet her from the living room._

Robin: Hey…Buffy came home about a half hour ago.

Faith: She did? (Looks up the staircase)

Robin: Where were you? I thought you followed her.

_Faith ignores Robin and travels up the stairs._

_  
_Robin: Faith?

_Faith approaches Buffy's door and knocks on, and gets no answer. She opens the door quietly and sees Buffy's face in the glow of the hallway night; she looks to be fast asleep. Faith walks in her room a little bit and checks up on her, examining her a little bit. Faith turns to leave but spots something on her nightstand, something shiny. It's her Zippo lighter. Faith looks confused she grabs it and stuffs it in her pocket. However she pauses at the door, as if something dawning on her. She looks over at Buffy's jacket that is lying on a chair in the room. She grabs it and leans her nose in and smells it. Faith then looks back at Buffy sleeping peacefully._

**Ending Credits**

Music: 'Out of Control' By Chemical Brothers

'Tyrant' by The Bravery

**Narrator: On the next Buffy…**

**  
**Faith: She's been hiding this from us…

(Show Buffy taking pills from a bottle in her bathroom)

Robin: I found this in her room. (Shows Faith the prescription bottle)

Faith: Something you want to share B?

Buffy: They help me. And there is nothing wrong with it.

Faith: Is this why you won't go to England?

Buffy: This doesn't concern you Faith.

Faith: Either you tell me what's up or….you're not welcome to stay here anymore.

(Show Buffy walking away from Faith)


End file.
